Charles Cavanagh, {Australian Immigrant}

GEDCOM Note

The name Cavanagh is commonly spelt Kavanagh. It is derived from the Irish Caomhanach and is attributed to the Mac Murrough family of Leinster. The name is still numerous in Country Wexford and County Carlow in Ireland and ranks among the sixty most common names in that county.

Charles Cavanagh (b © 1820, Dublin, Ireland) was the son of Denis Cavanagh. In 1837, Charles was convicted of assault and rape and was sentenced to death (8 February, 1837). His sentence was commuted to transportation for life following receipt by the Lord Governor at Dublin Castle of a petition from several prominent persons as to his innocence. Charles travelled to Australia at the pleasure of her Majesty, the recently crowned Queen Victoria. He arrived on the convict ship 'Heber' on 12 July, 1837.

Although destined for life imprisonment, Charles served only seven years. He worked in and around the Hunter Valley and Patterson River where many convicts were sent to work and serve out their time. He married Mary Loughman (b © 1810, Queen's County, Ireland) at Seaham in the Hunter Valley (date unknown and not reflected in records) and the couple had five children, the children are likely to have attended Seaham Primary School (est, 1842), however, the records were destroyed by fire.

The direct line continues through Charles and Mary's son Denis (b. July 1846. Seaham). In October 1869, Denis married Sarah McLaughlin at St . John's Catholic Church, West Maitland. The couple had eight children . The family eventually made the long trek to the Clarence River District where Denis did some farming and labouring. Sarah died at Whiteman's Creek in September 1909 and Denis at Grafton in 1923. Both are buried in the old Copmanhurst cemetery.

Denis and Mary's first son, also called Denis (b. Lagoon Brush, near Clarence Town, June 1874) carried on the line. In April 1907, Denis Married Rose Ann Caroline Reilly (b. February 1874, Grafton) at St. Mary' s Catholic Church), Grafton. Denis was a butcher by profession. Rose was adopted as a child and took on the maiden name Hall. The background of her father, Michael Reilly is unknown. Rose was first married to John Graham and the couple had two children. Rose and second husband Denis added another four to the family.

The second of their four children was our grandmother, Dorothy Louisa Cavanagh (b. March 1910, Copmanhurst).

Both of our grandmothers, Ruth Annie Osborne (b. February 1910) and Dorothy Louisa Cavanagh (b. March 1910) were born within six weeks of each other in Copmanhurst and were children together.

Dorothy married Charles Keelan at St Mary's Catholic Church in Grafton in June 1934. The couple had five children. Charles was a labourer on the bridge over the Clarence. He died October, 1973. Dorothy Keelan passed away in May 1989 in Grafton.

Charles and Dorothy's eldest daughter, also named Dorothy, married Kelvin Joseph Johnson at St. Mary's Grafton on 13 October, 1956.

Andrew Johnson - 1996